If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

The goal on these rats was 1 assured epic and I dealt around minimum damage for 99% 1 epic +10% in excess +-.

Here are the questions:
- Is this drop rate "normal" compared to yours? At this rate it's gonna take me 240 Rodenom's to alchemize the gauntlet.
- Given that my alliance right now is Dolomar+Barbarus+Other, would it make more sense to go for 2 epics instead? I mean, 1 epic is 1/3 aprox. of the cost of 2 epics, but going for 2 epics I fully profit for Barbarus' bonus. And maybe there is a weird coding thing about drops not being calculated separately but together (more chances to get the marks??)
- Would it make more sense to alchemize at least 1 of each of the second tier items* prior dealing with rats? *: I mean Dracolich Gauntlet, Cronus Amulet, Flamebound Defender...

Notes:
- I am talking from a non-spender or "light" spender point of view, in terms of getting the best rewards.
- Every weekend I hunt Samael's / Vargulis / Ouroboros... or alike from my guild's lands of Myst, going for 99% guaranted legendary, for crystal drops and for mithril medals. I mean, whatever I do, I'll stop doing that at least during the weekend; hunting rats is not a 24/7 commitment.

Your drop rates aren't all that much different (except Rodenom). Bonegnasher is higher (32.75%), Verminarch, Ogrimus and Rodenom are lower (15.68%, 15.25% and 8.33% respectively). But your sample size isn't too big either. I'd tend to think your averages will even out the more you hunt. From the discussion had before, I don't believe there is any change in percentage of marks dropped if you go for 2 epic instead of 1.

- Is this drop rate "normal" compared to yours? At this rate it's gonna take me 240 Rodenom's to alchemize the gauntlet.

Nope. Got my marks a lot easier.
Haven't tracked rats since then, and have no ideas about my droprates as they are now. People have written about low droprates since 2015, so maybe droprates were lowered at some point.

Originally Posted by Barathor

- Would it make more sense to alchemize at least 1 of each of the second tier items* prior dealing with rats? *: I mean Dracolich Gauntlet, Cronus Amulet, Flamebound Defender...

Nope. Unless mark drops are really big time nerfed, that is. Used to be so that whole rat set (DG + DM) was about same as Thanatos 2nd tier. And after that, total damages just keep going up.
Although there is the question of whether you're going for full third tier in Thanatos and Vargulis? Deathmantle and Gorgons Heart are relatively cheap to do compared to those, but are dead end as far as alchemy chains go.

Unless built for monster hunting, or spending more than just lightly, I still suggest rats & Cassandra, then Astaroth 3rd tier, and if you get there pick whatever fancies you at the time.

Still, my advice is based on old drop rates of marks. If that has changed a lot, things are different. And I don't have enough information to give advice of any kind for that situation.

I like the "certainty" of Samael, Vargulis & CO. regarding drops for alchemies (you know that whatever you get it will be usefull) opposite to rats. I would go for their 3rd tier alchemies if it wasn't for the Elite Hunter Gear they need as a must have in order to alchemize them (siting at 69 mithrils and getting 1mithril/1-1,5weeks...)
The collector in me struggles with the "optimizer" in me. You know, the "I want at least one of each" opposite to the "I'll attach to whatever brings the best ratio effort/bonus".
Let's see if someone else brings more light to this with his/her own experience and, in the meanwhile, I will keep killing Rodenoms so I get a bigger picture.

I got my rat armor and gauntlet after killing following number of rats about 2 years ago.
Bonegnasher 73 total
Verminarch 121
Ogrimus 102
Rodenom 111
I started going after 100% for 1 epic, cuz of FtP type of playing,
but soon (after first 20-25 rats?) realized it would last forever cuz of crappy drops.
After going for 100% 2 epic drops, marks started dropping remarkably more often,
more than half the times i got at least 1 mark per rat,
even 2 marks for 1 rat, at several occasions!

p.s. Cassandra's Gorgon Heart was the easiest Legendary i've done with 78 kills total,
also going after 2 epic drops from the start, after the 'lesson' i've learned from rats.

Your drop rates aren't all that much different (except Rodenom). Bonegnasher is higher (32.75%), Verminarch, Ogrimus and Rodenom are lower (15.68%, 15.25% and 8.33% respectively). But your sample size isn't too big either. I'd tend to think your averages will even out the more you hunt. From the discussion had before, I don't believe there is any change in percentage of marks dropped if you go for 2 epic instead of 1.

if you don't want to scroll through the thread; the TLR is that you need to go for the 2 epic drop points for rats to get the expected mark drop rate